DND chief's courtesy resignation won't affect military operations -- official
The courtesy resignation of Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. will not affect the operations of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), a ranking military official disclosed.
The AFP is a professional organization that will continue to fulfill its mandate to serve the Filipinos and protect the country despite Teodoro’s courtesy resignation on the orders of President Marcos Jr., according to Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad, Philippine Navy (PN) spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
“The AFP is a professional organization. We keep performing our mandate just as other agencies of the government are professional in performing their mandates. Tayo naman kung sino man ang nakaupo sa atin, we keep performing our mandate. Kung sinong maitalaga sa gobyerno, we are full support from the Navy, the Air Force, and the Army (Whoever is appointed, we keep performing our mandate. Whoever is designated in the government, we are full support from the Navy, Air Force, and the Army),” he said.
For Trinidad, the AFP has been “doing good” in the past three years that Teodoro is at the helm of the DND.
“Nakikita ito sa result ng mga surveys na naiintindihan ng ating taumbayan at sumusuporta sila as paninindigan ng DND at AFP in performing its mandate especially sa West Philippine Sea (This can be seen in the result of the surveys where the people understands and supports the stand of the DND and AFP in performing its mandate especially in the West Philippine Sea),” the admiral said.
The Navy, Trinidad said, fully supports Teodoro as the defense chief as he stressed that there would be no roadblocks even if the latter’s fate in the Marcos Cabinet hangs in the balance.
“There are no roadblocks, the SND [Secretary of National Defense] has our full support. Whatever the guidance of the SND is as the alter ego of the President in the Defense Department, we fully support it. We have a very robust relationship with our SND,” he said.
Last week, Marcos directed his Cabinet secretaries to submit their courtesy resignation as part of efforts to recalibrate the administration following unfavorable results of the recent midterm elections.